Oakland University President Gary Russi has announced he will retire on Aug. 1 after serving the growing university for 20 years.
Photo Courtesy of Oakland University

A former Oakland University women's basketball player who played for recently fired coach Beckie Francis has come forward to say she was the victim of religious intimidation and emotional abuse by Francis.

The former player, who grew up in a mixed-faith home, has practiced Islam her entire life, and she says Francis attempted to convert her to Christianity and obsessed over the player's weight while she was playing at Oakland University.

However, it remains unclear if her accusations are the reason for Francis' June 12 termination, which the university said was done with cause, or the announced resignation of Francis' husband, Oakland University President Gary Russi.

Farmington Hills native Jenna Bachrouche told The Oakland Press she was compelled to come forward about the situation after Francis' firing because of any potential future opportunities Francis could have prevented her from achieving.

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"I don't want anyone else to go through that," Bachrouche said. "You don't cross Coach Beckie or you will get harassed. Even I was afraid of her.

"Her eyes are like daggers."

Bachrouche, a North Farmington High graduate, was a heralded recruit for Francis, but she did not play her freshman season in 2010-11 due to injury and transferred to Western Michigan following the 2011-12 season. She said she voiced her frustration to director of athletics Tracy Huth prior to leaving the school, where she had played in just 26 games in two years.

"He just apologized," she said.

Huth has declined to comment about Francis' termination. Francis also declined to comment.

Bachrouche said her weight was often subject to Francis' criticism while the forward sat out her freshman season while rehabilitating from injury, including ridicule in the presence of teammates, and at one time included a weight loss challenge where she competed with the coach. She thought the fixation with her weight would cease when she returned to the court the following season.

"I was weighing myself four or five times per day," Bachrouche said. "For two years, I was scrutinized."

Bachrouche said Francis was very welcoming during her recruitment, even appearing to accept Bachrouche's religious beliefs.

"I knew she was a conservative Christian," Bachrouche said, adding she was forced to attend Christian church service on road trips and that Francis often brought in pastors as "coaches of honor" and other church acquaintances. "The unwritten team motto is 'you have to pray to play.'"

"I don't have any issue praying before games, but she would bring in pastors," Bachrouche said.

The rest of her teammates were Christian, Bachrouche said, but sympathetic to the abuse she says she suffered from Francis.

Bachrouche recalls an event at Francis' home, which is also the home of the university's president, in which a teammate was chosen to read a Christmas story from the Bible. Bachrouche said her teammate was noticeably uncomfortable with the assignment. Attendance, Bachrouche said, was mandatory.

On a team trip to Washington D.C., Bachrouche said she opted not to attend church service with teammates and stayed behind with an assistant coach. She said Francis didn't speak to her at a team meal after the team returned.

"Anything that's 'optional' with coach is not optional," she said. "Anybody who's played for her knows this."

Bachrouche recalled a film session that involved Francis speaking at her church, road trips that featured Christian-themed movies, Francis introducing the Golden Grizzlies as "a Christian basketball team," and Francis forwarding a text message from a pastor following a loss.

The last on-court loss Bachrouche suffered came in March 2012 when the Golden Grizzlies were eliminated from the Summit League Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D.

"I remember when the clock hit zero," Bachrouche said. "Everyone thought I was crying because we lost. It was a sigh of relief. I cried tears of joy when she was relieved of her duties. It was a sigh of relief. I don't want this to happen to anyone else."

Bachrouche said she labored over the decision to transfer but now calls it "the best decision of her life." She said she turned to her faith as her time at Oakland became increasingly uncomfortable and her grades dropped.

"I wouldn't have made it another year and my parents would not have let me," she said.

"I'm 10 times stronger for it," she said. "I'm in a better place for it."

After an unsuccessful appeal to the NCAA, Bachrouche was forced to sit out the 2012-13 season due to the NCAA's mandatory one-year transfer policy.

A representative from the NCAA last week told The Oakland Press it could not comment on any current or pending investigations but there were no reports of infractions at Oakland University. Bachrouche said the NCAA did not have any complaints about Francis on file.

Francis was suspended without pay May 30 after an internal review by the school following indications of improper conduct were brought to the attention of an Oakland University administrator in April, according to a statement issued by the school June 21.

Bachrouche said she was not the person who complained to a school administrator in April.

The university's statement also added other aspects of the women's basketball program are being reviewed.

Oakland recently accepted an invitation to the Horizon League, effective July 1.

Francis was the founder and supervisor of Oakland University's chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which was created in 2003. The student-led group preaches Christian ministry through Bible study and community outreach, said Caitlin McGuire, the FCA representative for Metro Detroit, adding that the program is geared toward student-athletes. She noted the school's basketball players comprised the majority of the campus' members.

According to McGuire, the FCA receives the same funding as other student organizations and was approved by the school's athletic director and the school's athletic coaches.

Bachrouche said she was never pressured to join the group by her former teammates who respected her religious beliefs.

Francis was recognized as an Esteemed Woman of Michigan in 2010 and the recipient of the Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award in April.

Francis went 227-162 in 13 seasons at Oakland and took the Golden Grizzlies to the NCAA tournament twice. She took a three-year hiatus beginning in 2002 before being rehired in 2005. She has since attributed the leave to health concerns.